Hiring the Super Project Manager

This is a great article by Jay Rollins.

If you're looking for a project manager to lead your PMO, you have to look deeper than a PMP certification. Here are the characteristics to look for.

Some would argue that hiring good people is now more science than art. Personality tests, leadership tests, background checks, reference checks, relevant experience, etc., all make selecting the right candidate an easier task. That may be the case for some IT resources, but it doesn't necessarily apply to project managers. And for project managers for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), it definitely doesn't.

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Active Listening: The Key to Solving Project Team Conflict

This is a great article by Global Knowledge.

As the leader, a major part of your effort should be to listen to your staff. Your communication skills are the key!

How can you listen better? First, stop talking. Concentrate on what is being said and don’t argue mentally or plan your next comment. Watch your body language, and make sure you put the speaker at ease and react appropriately (empathy, nod, eye contact). Do not stop listening until they stop talking. Avoid making assumptions, and listen for main points and supportive evidence. Remember, you share responsibility for the success – or failure – of the communication.

A useful tool for giving your fellow employees feedback is the basic feedback model. First, you describe a specific behavior that can be objectively verified by others (so it is not just your opinion), then you list its impact on you or the group. Then make a request to see what can be done to solve the problem. Always remember during the feedback process that active listening skills are very useful.

1. Behavior description:
   • “When you said (say)…”
   • “When you did (do)…”
2. Feelings (optional):
   • “I felt (feel)…”
3. Impact:
   • “As a result …”
4. Request:
   • “Can we discuss it?”
   • ”What can we do to resolve this?”
   • “Was that your intention?”

This article was originally published in Global Knowledge’s Business Brief e-newsletter. Global Knowledge delivers comprehensive hands-on project management, business process, and professional skills training. Visit our online Knowledge Center at www.globalknowledge.com/business for free white papers, webinars, and more.

Another great post by Jeff Monteforte about PPM best practices

There is always more than one way to do anything (well, most things anyway) and then there are the ways that work best, writes PM Planet columnist Jeff Monteforte of Exential.

If you've been reading my series of articles on project portfolio management (PPM), then you know by now that PPM is the preferred industry technique being used by more and more companies to systematically evaluate and choose technology investments that provide desired business benefits.

While there is no single right way to do IT project portfolio management, there are best practices that all PPM specialists agree on.

The first such best practice is to establish the portfolio. The three essential steps required in building and organizing your first project portfolio are...

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Is project management really that hard?

I was recently asked that question by a family member that was trying to understand what I do as a PMO manager. Seems like a loaded question, right? It can't be that hard can it? As with many things in life the answer is "It depends!". I have seen PMs that make managing complex projects with multiple dependencies look like child's play. They are the exception though. Project management is essentially about communication and planning. Seems easy enough, right? Well, try pleasing 10 different project stakeholders that are all type A personalities. That takes a special person that knows how to navigate the mine fields between project initiation and project closure. Often a project manager does not own the resources that are working on their project. In other words, you have the ultimate responsibility for the project success, but you do not manage the resources. This matrix organizational structure is very common in many organizations. Getting the most out of employees that do not report to you can be challenging. So, that was my long answer....my short answer is Yes!

I recently found the following jokes about project management on projectmanagementideas.com.

They wouldn't be funny if there wasn't some truth to them :)

- There are no good project managers - only lucky ones.

- It takes one woman nine months to have a baby. It cannot be done in one month by impregnating nine women.

- The sooner you get behind schedule, the more time you have to make it up

- Everyone asks for a strong project manger - when they get one, they don’t want one.

- Good project management is not so much knowing what to do and when, as knowing what excuses to give and when.

- Nothing is impossible for the person who doesn’t have to do it.